The Tempe Design Review Commission recently approved a permit to allow live entertainment until 1:55 a.m. at the Mills Modern Social bar and billiards hall in a commercial center at the southeast corner of Mill Avenue and Broadway Road.
The permit for the business in the commercial shopping and service zoning district was approved unanimously July 28 as part of a consent agenda with other items.
All live entertainment is required to end at 1:55 a.m., according to a Tempe police security plan.
The previous tenant was Freezer’s Ice House, it states in a Tempe staff report.
Although the site has been the source of several calls for service since 2022, the applicant coordinated with Tempe Police to adopt a security plan in early 2026 and calls for service have declined over the succeeding months. As a result of the applicant’s coordination and operational improvements, Tempe Police has indicated no concerns associated with the proposed use, it states.
The business is a full-service restaurant with an indoor bar and entertainment amenities including pool tables, arcade games and a dance floor. Jayesh Rangini of Mills Modern Social wrote in a use-permit letter of explanation.
All entertainment and music will occur indoors, it states.
“The applicant will manage music levels and operations to avoid impacts beyond ambient commercial conditions. The use is not expected to generate dust, vibration, smoke, heat or glare exceeding typical commercial standards,” Rangini said. “The project will maintain adequate staffing and management presence during operating hours to ensure orderly operations. Management will monitor activity inside the premises and discourage loitering or disruptive behavior to prevent nuisance impacts to nearby properties and the general public.”
The business is open 3-10 p.m. Monday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday and Sunday; and 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday, it states.
The development review commission holds public meetings and hearings to provide analysis and recommendations to the city council regarding general land use policies and applications where the commission has recommendatory power, and to render final decisions on specified applications where the commission has final decision-making power, including, but not limited to, all aspects of a proposed and future development.
The commission has the duty to carry out the provisions and intent of the general plan and the zoning and development code, according to the city’s website.
Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines, https://www.yourvalley.net/civility-checklist/.
Meet Richard Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.
Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions.
Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.
Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.
Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.
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